The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-06-04

staggered up 10 the gate, handed the guards
one hundred piasters and then showed
them our empty pockets, whereupon they
allowed us to pass through the gate, point
ing to their hearts to assure us that no one
should pass that way to modest US. Each of
us carried the usual paper lantern to illumi-
nate the way, and we were well armed with
pistols and cutlasses. During the day we
| had paced the distance from the gate to the
spot where we might expect to find the
| thread, and we now had but to pace off the
same number of steps in the darkness.
During the day also we had not failed to
| show ourselves frequently in the street to
| let eprisoner know we meant to communi-
cate with her.
We found the thread and attached our
note of reply, first putting out our lights to
avoid discovery. Softly pulling the thread,
we felt gentle strain in reply, and the note
was pulled up, to reach, we prayed, the
hands OF her who so anxiously awaited it.
On our return to the gate it was immediate
ly opened when we had knocked and the
guard had recognized our English voices.
Our letter to the lady contained the follow
ing:
THE fifth night, counting from tomorrow. we
VIII rescue you by rope-ladder. AT one O'Clock
we Will attach strong line to the end of your
cord. Pull this until the ladder reaches YOU
The line will be sufficiently strong to bear your
weight. Place the line over a hook or post, but
do not make ii fast. We will hold the end, so
fear not. The line will be withdrawn after your
descent, so that no one will discover the manner
OF your escape. There will be no MOON Before
daybreak you will be on n vessel under way for
England If you can devise any other means or
have any suggestions to make you can commune
cate as before; we will pass nightly until we
have some token from you. We are two who
have sworn to save you One Of us will ascend
to assist in your descent If you desire it. May
God, to whom you have prayed, nerve you to
your task
The next night we received the following
answer:
toward you by the cord. have trusted eunuch
who will assist me- as his life belongs to me.
Think well of the danger. I have no right to
place you in jeopardy. In case Of discovery
rope-ladder upon you would prove your guilt;
you would be seized and disposed of, none would
know how except the headsman. Your crime
and mine are punishable by death, My life is
nothing, nor would l be missed, but you have
loved ones at home. Should you change your
mind on The night appointed God have mercy
upon me! 1 will not live to see the light of an
other day. have often meditated this act. l
have felt that God, to whom l have always
prayed would deliver me, and that would be
allowed to thank him in His sanctuary. II you
do not lind the cord you may know that I have
been betrayed. If all is safe, the cord will be
weighted with silken purse containing Jewels
to reward you and to assist me in my escape.
have been discovered. Then be on your guard
against assassination. I shall not look for you
until the hour named"
Ny friend, Captain H, had fallen most
desperately in love. / say desperately,
because ne neither slept ate, nor drank;
nor would he give me any rest. 1t was re-
assuring to me to see fellow so far gone;
l had thought myself the only one who
could be so cracked" He was always at
l.,
learned his whole history. The cause of
his going to seawas the removal of flaxen-
haired, blue-eyed school-mate, who had
been his beloved little friend from his
earliest memory. Her parents had moved
to Moscow, and thence, as he was informed,
to Odessa, from which port he had last
sailed, with cargo Of grain for Falmouth
for orders. At Odessa he had made the
most searching inquiries, and learned that
family of the same name had gone to
Alexandria about six years previous. He
had been, until our present adventure,
remarkably quiet and diffident. He had
told me that his diffidence arose from the
fact that he was almost woman hater, and
that he never expected to be happy until he
found his early love, whom he last saw
when she was eleven and he twelve years
of age. His interest in the fair captive
was doubtless aroused by the fact that she
strongly resembled his early love.
The eventful night arrived. l gave a
supper at the hotel to allay any suspicion.
Supper was ordered for twenty, and was
served at eleven O'clock which meant an
all-night spree. Wine flowed freely and
had its effect upon our friends. At twelve
o'clock, by preconcerted arrangement, a
note was handed to me by servant. l
pretended that it had been sent by my
second officer, and that it announced that
my chief officer had killed one Of the crew.
Apologlzing for my sudden departure, !
promised to return as soon as possible and
finish the night. My friend, Captain H,
insisted upon going with me. protested,
but he was obstinate, and finally, as the
company insisted that it was not safe to go
alone, we two left in company.
We arrived at the gate in our usual APP
parently drunken condition, feed the guard
literally, and passed through. A few min
utes later we returned and had our cigars
and lanterns lighted, pretending that the
latter had been put out accidentally. They
were so ready in assisting us that we gave
them another handful of piasters and
made them understand not to allow any
one to follow US. They earnestly promised
ana we started again, our nearJS almost
bursting with rapid pulsation. We found
the cord; a purse was at the end of it. So
far all was safe.
Running to the farther gate as quickly as
possible, we repeated our former strategy
of brides, and the guards promised us that
while we were in the street nobody should
pass them. Thus we had the field to our
selves, with guards on either hand to pro-
tect us from interference
We returned to the spot where the purse
lay. 1t was readily discovered by reason
Of its brilliancy, being worked in gold and
silver threads. A stout cord was attached
to it. We pulled gently upon the cord and
drew down a ladder made of silk.
The night was dark, not star visible.
Thus far every thing favored us. We put
strain upon the ladder with both our
weights to keep it from swaying, when
| suddenly we felt heavy burden upon it,
and in an instant man in white tunc
sprang from the ladder and seized me by
both arms, muttering something could not
understand. Letting go his iron grip upon
me- he took the Captain in the same man
ner. Then he sprang up the ladder and
disappeared.
| We were so taken by surprise that we
could not have defended ourselves if occa-
sion had required it. Treachery or not we
did not know, but we stood at our post.
Presently we felt by the strain on the rope
that some one was again descending. This
| ft,,a . ,a LODI Ghn 80